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  • Unison New Zealand Merlin's Reserve Merlot Wine 2016

    Unison New Zealand Merlin’s Reserve Merlot Wine 2016

    Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard

    Vintage 2016

    Vintage 2016 growing season can be summed up as good, but challengingly erratic. We experienced a cool start to the growing season with the growing degree running below average until mid- January. February was a scorcher, and permitted the ripening of all our grapes to move into the “normal window”. March and April had threats of rain, but on the whole, were fine and warm allowing us to pick healthy grapes in good conditions.
    Winemaking – hand crafted with attention to detail.

    The grapes for Merlin’s Merlot were hand picked and fermented in small open topped vats. The fermentations were carefully monitored and worked daily by hand. The new wine spent 3 weeks macerating with the grape skins while the tannins and fruit evolved and developed. When a balance point was reached we “devatted” and basket pressed the grape skins. The new wine spent 20 months maturing in oak barrels and puncheons and was bottled on the property in March 2018. Further maturing in bottle for 5 years, release Mar 2023.
    Tasting Note

    Bold penetrating aromas of roasted black Doris plum, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and a hint of liquorice.
    Supple with sustained presence on the palate. Layered flavours of spicy dark fruits, chocolate, and dried herbs.
    Great balance with fine tannins that melt on the finish carrying the flavours to persist with freshness and purity.
    Drink now and cellar with confidence.

    £22.00
  • Unison New Zealand Rocky Red Wine 2020

    Unison New Zealand Rocky Red Wine 2020

    Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard

    68% Merlot 32% Cabernet Sauvignon

    Unison Vineyard is a small Family Estate in the heart of the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District in Hawkes Bay. Established in 1993, with densely planted vines that are carefully managed for low yield, ripeness and intense flavour. Our red wines are made from 100% Gimblett Gravels fruit grown in our own vineyard.
    Rocky Red is an easy drinking style red wine and is a testament to the Rocky soil which enables us to create these amazing red wines.
    Vintage 2020
    After average winter rainfall, the soils were carrying adequate moisture going into the growing season. Spring was mild and flowering early. By December rainfall was lower than average, a trend that would continue. Temperatures in December/January were warm without excessively hot days. Late Jan and through Feb day time temperatures consistently reach into 30⁰ C, with cool night temperatures. This diurnal swing gave perfect conditions for ripening. Dry conditions continued through autumn and our grapes were picked in optimal health and maturity.
    Winemaking – hand crafted with attention to detail.

    After a carefully monitored fermentation with daily manual working of the small vats, the new wine spent 3 weeks macerating on skins while the tannins and fruit evolved and developed. When a balance point was reached we “devatted” and basket pressed the grape skins. The new wine spent 19 months maturing in oak and is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was bottled on the property in January 2022 with a further 7 months bottle aging on site before release
    Tasting Note
    The dense dark purple/red colour highlights the perfect ripeness of the 2020 vintage. Enticing complex aromas of dried dark plums with vanilla, red rose and freshly dried wild herbs.

    A round, silky entry leads into the flavour loaded palate where layers of
    warm dark berry fruits, plums, spice and dried herb dance and mingle. The texture and concentration is maintained through the palate and fine tannins give structure and lingering moorish finish. Enjoy now or cellar through 2029. An amazing wine which is exceptional value for money.
    Vegan Friendly

    £15.00
  • Unison New Zealand Symphony Syrah 2016

    Unison New Zealand Symphony Syrah 2016

    Grown, fermented, matured and bottled at Unison Vineyard

    Vintage 2016

    Unison Symphony Syrah is the ultimate Syrah of each vintage. We carefully make this wine from our oldest vines in the vineyard and by using small batch ferments with different yeasts together with multiple French and American Oak producers barrels helps us create complexity. Careful blending of our batches gives us our Symphony as each batch played its part.

    Winemaking
    Gentle handling and attention to detail are the hallmarks of our winemaking. We handpick our grapes, then de-stem and lightly crush to just break their skins before they go into small, open topped fermenting vats. The ferments are worked by hand plunging along with drain and returns to maximise gentle tannin extraction, and extended post ferment maceration allows us to achieve a balance between fruit intensity and tannin structure. After basket pressing the batches of 2016 Syrah went into a mix of French and American barrels for the next 20 months. 25% of the barrels were new. The wine was bottled on the property in March 2018 and laid down to rest until its release December 2021

    Tasting Note
    Spice and berry fruit abound on the nose with aromas of blueberry and cranberry highlighted with five spice, vanilla and sweet leather.

    Intense dark berry fruit flavours are wound around a dense core of dark spicy chocolate, with fine, lifted, supple tannins giving depth and structure.

    Layered with flavours, Symphony Syrah glides over the palate with a bold and graceful balance between its fruit, acid and tannin.

    Enjoy now (or cellar) with game meats, lamb or dark chocolate desserts.

    £30.00